• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권10호
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• pp.1103-1108
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• 2009

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-l protein Tat acts as a transcription transactivator that stimulates expression of the infected viral genome. It is released from infected cells and can similarly affect neighboring cells. The nucleocapsid is an important protein that has a related significant role in early mRNA expression, and which contributes to the rapid viral replication that occurs during HIV-1 infection. To investigate the interaction between the Tat and nucleocapsid proteins, we utilized cDNA micro arrays using pTat and flag NC cotransfection in HEK 293T cells and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to validate the micro array data. Four upregulated genes and nine downregulated genes were selected as candidate genes. Gene ontology analysis was conducted to define the biological process of the input genes. A proteomic approach using PathwayStudio determined the relationship between Tat and nucleocapsid; two automatically built pathways represented the interactions between the upregulated and downregulated genes. The results indicate that the up- and downregulated genes regulate HIV-1 replication and proliferation, and viral entry.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.154-161
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• 2007

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections are responsible for a substantial number of deaths annually and represent a significant threat to public health. According to the latest study, the Tat (Transactivator of transcription) protein is essential in transcription and replication of viral genes, and is among the early expression genes involved in the life cycle of HIV. The virion NC (nucleocapsid) plays an important role in early mRNA expression and contributes to the rapid viral replication that occurs during HIV-1 infection. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate the relationship between the Tat protein and nucleocapsid protein. In a comparison of two independently prepared and hybridized samples, flag NC overexpressed HEK 293T cells and pTat overexpressed HEK 293T cells, and hybridization showed the differences in expression in each case. Among the microarray results confirmed with real-time reverse transcriptase assay, twelve genes were identified to be involved according to their gene expression profiles. Of approximately 8,208 human genes that were analyzed, we monitored candidate genes that might have been related to NC and Tat genes from gene expression profiles. Additionally, the pathways could be viewed and analyzed through the use of Pathway Studio software. The pathways from the gene list were built and paths were found among the molecules/cell objects/processes by the curation method.

• BMB Reports
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• 제41권7호
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• pp.511-515
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• 2008

The nucleocapsid (NC) protein of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 plays a key role in viral genomic packaging by specifically recognizing the Psi($\Psi$) RNA sequence within the HIV-1 genome RNA. Recently, a novel cell-based assay was developed to probe the specific interactions in vivo between the NC and $\Psi$-RNA using E.coli cells (J. Virol. 81: 6151-55, 2007). In order to examine the extendibility of this cell-based assay to RNAs other than $\Psi$-RNA, this study tested the RNA aptamers isolated in vitro using the SELEX method, but whose specific binding ability to NC in a living cellular environment has not been established. The results demonstrate for the first time that each of those aptamer RNAs can bind specifically to NC in a NC zinc finger motif dependent manner within the cell. This confirms that the cell-based assay developed for NC-$\Psi$interaction can be further extended and applied to NC-binding RNAs other than $\Psi$-RNA.

• BMB Reports
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• 제54권11호
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• pp.551-556
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated how Staufen1 influences the HIV-1 production. The overexpression of Staufen1 increased virus production without any negative affect on the viral infectivity. This increase was not caused by transcriptional activation; but by influencing post-transcriptional steps. Using multiple Gag protein derivatives, we confirmed that the zinc-finger domains of the HIV-1 nucleocapsid (NC) are important for its interaction with Staufen1. We also found that Staufen1 colocalized in stress granules with the mature form of the HIV-1 NC protein.